A huge expo to market the economic potentials of the Volta Region and create a 'business highway' for investors into the various areas is underway in Ho.
The "Volta Trade and Investment Fair" coordinated by the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV) is under the auspices of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC).
Collaborating agencies include the Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC), National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), the Municipal and District Assemblies, Ho Polytechnic, the Volta Regional House of Chiefs and the Volta Foundation, a regional development advocacy group.
Mr Lawson Gidigasu, Expo Managing Consultant, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the expectation was that the seven-day programme would motivate many business people to want to do business in the region.
He said the main business of the programme is expected to the development of business linkages and seminars indoors on the sidelines of
the hustle and bustle around the about 348 pavilions, showcasing products and services.
Mr Gidigasu, a former Trade Fair Executive, said consultants had been engaged to hold seminars on credit lines and banking support for businesses among other business related issues.
He said the consultants would be on hand to coordinate business linkage deals.
Mr Gidigasu said the potentials of the region were varied but its competitive strength was in agriculture and tourism.
He said the drawback to business development in the region all these years had been the poor strategic coordination of its abundant human
capital, with business opportunities.
Mr Gidigasu said the fair should bring the various economic development organizations together to speed up development.
Mr Raymond Okudzeto, President of the Volta Foundation, said the fair was a clarion call to everybody from the Volta Region to do something to lift it from poverty.
Mr Okudzeto is personally funding the facelift of the offices of the Volta Region House of Chiefs near the Jubilee Park, venue for the fair as his contribution to the programme.